Hey, it’s Payton!

While running this weekend, I couldn’t shake the thought of how wild it is that every single weekend, all over the world, Jesus’ stories are still being told.

No book deal. No social media.

Just a carpenter with stories that still change people.

Which makes sense (being God and all), but I wanted to get to the bottom of it.

In today’s issue:

• Why spiritual clarity is what sets your storytelling apart from everyone else.

• A fun newsletter all about reading books.

• How I can help you write very good emails for free.

P.S. This is a new format for Christian Story Lab. Reply to this email and let me know what you think.

First time reading? Sign up here. If this email is clipped by Gmail click “Read Online”.

VERY GOOD STORY

Ancient Storytelling

In a Roman classroom sixteen centuries ago, a young student named Augustine found himself crying over the tragic fate of Queen Dido in Virgil’s epic Aeneid.

You don’t need to be familiar with the Aeneid or Augustine to understand why I bring this up.

Years after that episode, Augustine found himself reflecting on the moment. How strange, he thought, that I wept for a fictional queen… but not for the fate of my own soul.

These grand Roman stories stirred his emotions, but they didn’t change him.

• An epic poem didn’t change him.

• A philosopher’s speech didn’t change him.

Those things moved him, but they didn’t change him.

It was a far simpler story, carrying a far greater truth.

The Galilean with No Script

The story that changed Augustine’s heart came from a Galilean carpenter who had no formal training in storytelling or rhetoric.

Baffling.

And yet people were blown away with his wisdom, asking, “How did this man become learned. . .without formal training?”

Even more baffling.

Jesus never studied under famous teachers or prepared his stories with classical polish.

Instead, he roamed the hillsides and seashores…

…telling short parables about mustard seeds, lost sheep, and disobedient sons.

No pen, no stage, no royalty to sponsor him.

No gimmicks. No stagecraft. No divine smoke and mirrors.

Just the truth, spoken plainly.

People from all walks of life and every status of society held their breath while listening to his stories.

With a few sentences, he could expose hypocrisy, comfort the broken, or reveal the kingdom of God.

He used no gimmicks, no tricks, no divine hocus pocus to teach.

He relied on the truth.

Two thousand years later, Jesus’s little stories are among the most famous in history.

They’ve shaped laws, inspired art and literature, and entered our everyday vocabulary (who doesn’t know what a “good Samaritan” is?).

And unlike Augustine’s beloved Roman myths, Jesus’s stories didn’t just entertain or move emotions. They changed people. They changed people like Augustine.

And me.

And maybe you.

And Jesus’ listeners felt called to act: to forgive others, to show mercy, to trust God.

Without writing a single book or wielding any official power, Jesus became the most impactful storyteller in history.

Why?

Because spiritual clarity was his storytelling superpower.

The Power of Spiritual Clarity

For today’s Christian storytellers (pastors, writers, influencers like you), the assignment is clear.

Jesus has shown that a story’s power isn’t in its length or polish, but in its clear truth and spiritual punch. If you want to reproduce that impact, learn to be clear.

Here’s how you can put that into practice:

• Start with a core message. Before you write, ask: What single spiritual truth do I want my audience to carry with them? Let that truth bleed through every part of your story.

• Use simple stories. You don’t need an epic saga. Draw from everyday life (a personal moment, a news snippet, a familiar problem) that everyone can understand. Like Jesus' parables, a concise story burns into history.

• Cut the fluff. Jesus spoke plainly, in the language of fishermen and farmers. Follow his lead. Strip away churchy clichés or academic terms that might cloud your message. Clarity makes your story accessible and powerful.

• Speak to the heart. Facts and arguments have their place, but it’s the heart that moves people. Aim for the conscience and soul. Whether your story convicts or comforts, let it connect emotionally and spiritually.

In your next sermon, social post, or video, dare to be clear and bold.

Jesus changed the world with a handful of mustard-seed stories.

You carry that same seed.

Plant it.

MY BEST FINDS

Here are Payton’s Picks for the week. If you find something worth sharing with the rest of the Lab, reply to this email!

🧙‍♂️ Story

• A fun newsletter with book recommendations and summaries.

• Too many people talk about storytelling as a craft. Very little talk about it as a science. This podcast episode argues the latter.

📧 Email

• Build a high-conversion welcome sequence in less time than an NBA playoff game.

• 31 subject lines to boost your open rate. You could have written the winning lottery number in our email, but nobody will read it without a good subject line.

✝️ Faith

• Jon Acuff is my hero. He’s saved my life many times over and doesn’t even know I exist. Today, he reminded me why you should never neglect taking your kids to church with you.

• Currently re-reading this book for the 3rd time since I bought it in 2019.

👀 ICYMI

• 3 powerful takeaways from God’s storytelling tactics.

🔦 Spotlight

• My buddy Jake Doberenz is helping people launch podcasts and build a winning podcast strategy. He’s specifically helping Christian businesses and business leaders.

Before you go, here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Very Good Email Playbook: If you’re tired of writing “meh” emails that get ignored, I’ll show you how to write ones people actually want to read. It’s free, and it’s packed with everything I’ve learned the hard way.

2. VeryGoodGhost Agency: I handle every aspect of content creation, from research and writing to editing and optimization, so you get scary good results.

3. Reply to Book a Free Call: Want to chat about your story, email strategy, or how to do this whole thing without losing your soul? Reply to this email, tell me what you’re working on, and I’ll send over a calendar link.

Keep writing what matters,

— Payton